Soviet era

After graduation, he worked as an economist of the Lithuanian SSR Ministry of Finance, and was then governor of the Agricultural Finance Administration.^[1][2] From 1969, he was the permanent representative of the Council of Ministers of the Lithuanian SSR to the Council of Ministers of the Soviet Union, and beginning in 1977, he was the Vice Chairman of the State Labour Committee.^[1][2] From 1988 to 1990, he was the First Deputy Minister of Social Security and Labour, until the Lithuanian SSR declared independence in March 1990 as the Republic of Lithuania.^[1][2]

Post-independence

Following independence, Stankevičius, who had been a member of the Communist Party of Lithuania, joined its successor party, the Democratic Labour Party.^[1][2] From September 1993 to July 1994, he served as Minister of Social Security and Labour under Prime Minister Adolfas Šleževičius.^[1][2][4] From 1994 to 1996, he was Minister of Administration Reforms and Self-government Affairs.^[1][2][3][4] On 15 February 1996, he was appointed Prime Minister by President Algirdas Brazauskas, a position he held until 27 November 1996, a little more than nine months total.^[1][2][3][4]

After leaving the office of prime minister, Stankevičius was elected to the Seimas, the Lithuanian parliament, where he served until 1998.^[1][3] While in the Seimas, he served on the Committee on Social Affairs and Labour.^[1] From 1998 to 1999, he served as Minister of Health under President Valdas Adamkus and Prime Minister Gediminas Vagnorius.^[1][3][4] In 1999, he retired from politics, residing in Vilnius.